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Chen D, Parks CG, Hofmann JN, Beane Freeman LE, Sandler DP. Pesticide use and inflammatory bowel disease in licensed pesticide applicators and spouses in the Agricultural Health Study. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 249:118464. [PMID: 38354883 PMCID: PMC11065595 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pesticide exposure has been linked to some autoimmune diseases and colorectal cancer, possibly via alteration of gut microbiota or other mechanisms. While pesticides have been linked to gut dysbiosis and inflammation in animal models, few epidemiologic studies have examined pesticides in relation to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). OBJECTIVES We evaluated use of pesticides and incident IBD in 68,480 eligible pesticide applicators and spouses enrolled in the Agricultural Health Study. METHODS Self-reported IBD cases were identified from follow-up questionnaires between enrollment (1993-1997) and 2022. We evaluated IBD incidence in relation to self-reported ever use of 50 pesticides among applicators and spouses. We also explored associations with intensity-weighted lifetime days (IWLD) of pesticide use among male applicators. Covariate-adjusted hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using Cox regression. RESULTS We identified 454 IBD cases, including 227 among male applicators. In analyses with applicators and spouses combined, associations were positive (HR > 1.2) for ever vs. never use of five organochlorine insecticides, three organophosphate insecticides, one fungicide, and five herbicides. HRs were highest for dieldrin (HR = 1.59, 95%CI: 1.03, 2.44), toxaphene (HR = 1.61, 95%CI: 1.17, 2.21), parathion (HR = 1.42, 95%CI: 1.03, 1.95), and terbufos (HR = 1.53, 95%CI: 1.19, 1.96). We had limited power in many IWLD of pesticide use analyses and did not find clear evidence of exposure-response trends; however, we observed elevated HRs in all tertiles of IWLD use of terbufos compared to never use (T1 vs. never use HR = 1.52, 95%CI: 1.03, 2.24; T2 vs. never use HR = 1.53, 95%CI: 1.04, 2.26; T3 vs. never use HR = 1.51, 95%CI: 1.03, 2.23). CONCLUSIONS Exposure to specific pesticides was associated with elevated hazards of IBD. These findings may have public health importance given the widespread use of pesticides and the limited number of known modifiable environmental risk factors for IBD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dazhe Chen
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Christine G Parks
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Jonathan N Hofmann
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Laura E Beane Freeman
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Dale P Sandler
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
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Remigio RV, Andreotti G, Sandler DP, Erickson PA, Koutros S, Albert PS, Hurwitz LM, Parks CG, Lubin JH, Hofmann JN, Beane Freeman LE. An Updated Evaluation of Atrazine-Cancer Incidence Associations among Pesticide Applicators in the Agricultural Health Study Cohort. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2024; 132:27010. [PMID: 38381478 PMCID: PMC10880817 DOI: 10.1289/ehp13684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Atrazine is a common agricultural herbicide in the United States. Few epidemiologic studies have evaluated cancer risks. Previous analyses within the Agricultural Health Study (AHS) have found some evidence of associations with cancer at some sites. OBJECTIVE We updated exposure information, incident cases, and follow-up time to assess the associations between atrazine use and cancer at specific sites in the AHS. METHODS Information about lifetime pesticide use was reported at enrollment (1993-1997) and follow-up (1999-2005). Among 53,562 pesticide applicators in North Carolina and Iowa, we identified 8,915 incident cases through cancer registry linkages through 2014 (North Carolina)/2017 (Iowa). We used Poisson regression to evaluate the association between ever/never and intensity-weighted lifetime days of atrazine use and incident cancer risk controlling for several confounders. We also evaluated lagged exposures and age-stratified risk. RESULTS Approximately 71.2% of applicators reported ever using atrazine, which was associated with lung cancer [rate ratios ( RR ) = 1.24 ; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.04, 1.46]. Aggressive prostate cancer risk was increased in the highest quartile (RR Q 4 = 1.20 ; 95% CI: 0.95, 1.52; p -trend = 0.19 ), particularly among those < 60 years old (RR Q 4 = 3.04 ; 95% CI: 1.61, 5.75; p -trend < 0.001 ; p -interaction = 0.04 ). Among applicators < 50 years of age, ever-atrazine use was associated with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) (RR = 2.43 ; 95% CI: 1.10, 5.38; p -interaction = 0.60 ). For soft tissue sarcoma, there was an elevated risk in the highest tertile of exposure (RR T 3 : 2.54; 95% CI: 0.97, 6.62; p -trend = 0.31 ). In analyses with exposure lagged by 25 years, there was an elevated risk of pharyngeal (RR T 3 = 3.04 ; 95% CI: 1.45, 6.36; p -trend = 0.07 ) and kidney (RR Q 4 = 1.62 ; 95% CI: 1.15, 2.29; p -trend < 0.005 ) cancers. DISCUSSION We observed suggestive associations with some malignancies in overall, age-specific, and lagged analyses. Associations with aggressive prostate cancer and NHL were apparent among those diagnosed at younger ages and with cancers of the pharynx and kidney, and soft tissue sarcomas were observed in lagged analyses. Further work is needed to confirm these observed associations and elucidate potential underlying mechanisms. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP13684.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard V. Remigio
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Gabriella Andreotti
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Dale P. Sandler
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Patricia A. Erickson
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Stella Koutros
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Paul S. Albert
- Biostatistics Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Lauren M. Hurwitz
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Christine G. Parks
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jay H. Lubin
- Biostatistics Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Jonathan N. Hofmann
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Laura E. Beane Freeman
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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Kim J, Leon ME, Schinasi LH, Baldi I, Lebailly P, Freeman LEB, Nordby KC, Ferro G, Monnereau A, Brouwer M, Kjaerheim K, Hofmann JN, Straif K, Kromhout H, Schüz J, Togawa K. Exposure to pesticides and risk of Hodgkin lymphoma in an international consortium of agricultural cohorts (AGRICOH). Cancer Causes Control 2023; 34:995-1003. [PMID: 37418114 PMCID: PMC10533587 DOI: 10.1007/s10552-023-01748-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Some pesticides may increase the risk of certain lymphoid malignancies, but few studies have examined Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). In this exploratory study, we examined associations between agricultural use of 22 individual active ingredients and 13 chemical groups and HL incidence. METHODS We used data from three agricultural cohorts participating in the AGRICOH consortium: the French Agriculture and Cancer Cohort (2005-2009), Cancer in the Norwegian Agricultural Population (1993-2011), and the US Agricultural Health Study (1993-2011). Lifetime pesticide use was estimated from crop-exposure matrices or self-report. Cohort-specific covariate-adjusted overall and age-specific (< 40 or ≥ 40 years) hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using Cox regression and combined using random effects meta-analysis. RESULTS Among 316 270 farmers (75% male) accumulating 3 574 815 person-years at risk, 91 incident cases of HL occurred. We did not observe statistically significant associations for any of the active ingredients or chemical groups studied. The highest risks of HL overall were observed for the pyrethroids deltamethrin (meta-HR = 1.86, 95% CI 0.76-4.52) and esfenvalerate (1.86, 0.78-4.43), and inverse associations of similar magnitude were observed for parathion and glyphosate. Risk of HL at ≥ 40 years of age was highest for ever-use of dicamba (2.04, 0.93-4.50) and lowest for glyphosate (0.46, 0.20-1.07). CONCLUSION We report the largest prospective investigation of these associations. Nonetheless, low statistical power, a mixture of histological subtypes and a lack of information on tumour EBV status complicate the interpretability of the results. Most HL cases occurred at older ages, thus we could not explore associations with adolescent or young adult HL. Furthermore, estimates may be attenuated due to non-differential exposure misclassification. Future work should aim to extend follow-up and refine both exposure and outcome classification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanne Kim
- Environment and Lifestyle Epidemiology Branch, International Agency for Research On Cancer, IARC/WHO), Lyon, France
| | - Maria E. Leon
- Environment and Lifestyle Epidemiology Branch, International Agency for Research On Cancer, IARC/WHO), Lyon, France
| | - Leah H. Schinasi
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Isabelle Baldi
- Service Santé Travail Environnement, CHU de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Pierre Lebailly
- ANTICIPE, INSERM U1086, Université de Caen Normandie, and Centre de Lutte Contre Le Cancer François Baclesse, Caen, France
| | - Laura E. Beane Freeman
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute (NCI), Bethesda, MD USA
| | | | - Gilles Ferro
- Environment and Lifestyle Epidemiology Branch, International Agency for Research On Cancer, IARC/WHO), Lyon, France
| | - Alain Monnereau
- Hematological Malignancies Registry of Gironde, Bergonie Institute, Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Bordeaux, France
- EPICENE, INSERM U1219, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Maartje Brouwer
- National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | | | - Jonathan N. Hofmann
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute (NCI), Bethesda, MD USA
| | - Kurt Straif
- Non-communicable Diseases and Environment Programme, IS Global, Barcelona, Spain
- Global Observatory On Pollution and Health, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA USA
| | - Hans Kromhout
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Joachim Schüz
- Environment and Lifestyle Epidemiology Branch, International Agency for Research On Cancer, IARC/WHO), Lyon, France
| | - Kayo Togawa
- Environment and Lifestyle Epidemiology Branch, International Agency for Research On Cancer, IARC/WHO), Lyon, France
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Shrestha S, Parks CG, Umbach DM, Hofmann JN, Beane Freeman LE, Blair A, Sandler DP. Use of permethrin and other pyrethroids and mortality in the Agricultural Health Study. Occup Environ Med 2022; 79:664-672. [PMID: 35688626 PMCID: PMC10368161 DOI: 10.1136/oemed-2021-108156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Pyrethroid insecticides have been linked with multiple health outcomes. One study reported an association with increased all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Given the widespread use of pyrethroids, these findings warrant confirmation. We explored associations of permethrin/pyrethroid use with overall and cause-specific mortality among 50 665 licensed pesticide applicators in the Agricultural Health Study. METHODS At enrolment (1993-1997), participants self-reported information on permethrin/pyrethroid use. Information on causes of death came from linkage with death registries through 2016. We used Cox proportional hazards models to estimate HRs and 95% CIs with adjustment for potential confounders. RESULTS Over an average 21 years of follow-up, 19.6% (9,955) of the cohort died. We found no clear evidence that ever-use of permethrin/pyrethroid was associated with elevated overall mortality or with mortality from most causes examined. There was suggestive evidence, based on a small number of deaths among those exposed, for elevated pyrethroid-associated mortality from some neurological, respiratory and genitourinary diseases in the overall sample and from lung cancer among never-smokers. CONCLUSION Although based on mortality, which is also affected by survival, rather than incidence, these findings are biologically plausible, and future investigations in other populations may be warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Srishti Shrestha
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Christine G Parks
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - David M Umbach
- Biostatistics and Computational Biology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jonathan N Hofmann
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Laura E Beane Freeman
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Aaron Blair
- Formerly of Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Dale P Sandler
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
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Weisenburger DD. A Review and Update with Perspective of Evidence that the Herbicide Glyphosate (Roundup) is a Cause of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. CLINICAL LYMPHOMA, MYELOMA & LEUKEMIA 2021; 21:621-630. [PMID: 34052177 DOI: 10.1016/j.clml.2021.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Revised: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Glyphosate-based formulations (GBFs), such as Roundup, are the most heavily used herbicides in the world. In 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) concluded that glyphosate and GBFs are probably carcinogenic to humans (group 2A), mainly for non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). However, this finding has been controversial, and most pesticide regulatory agencies have not followed their lead. The purpose of this review was to examine the scientific literature linking exposure to glyphosate and GBFs to the development of NHL, with emphasis on new findings since publication of the IARC report. The epidemiologic studies provide ample evidence for an association between exposure to GBFs and an increased risk of NHL. Animal studies have shown that glyphosate is carcinogenic in rodents and causes NHL in mice. Mechanistic studies have demonstrated that glyphosate and GBFs are genotoxic to human lymphocytes, the normal cell of origin of NHL, both in vitro and in vivo. Genotoxic and other biological effects have also been shown in various animal and cell models with these agents even at low doses. A novel mechanism underlying the specificity of glyphosate for NHL, that is upregulation of the B-cell genome mutator enzyme activation-induced cytidine deaminase, has recently been demonstrated. These findings were evaluated holistically using the guidelines for evaluation of general causation set forth by Bradford Hill. This evaluation provides coherent and compelling evidence that glyphosate and GBFs are a cause of NHL in humans exposed to these agents. These findings should prompt new reviews by pesticide regulatory agencies around the world.
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Lerro CC, Hofmann JN, Andreotti G, Koutros S, Parks CG, Blair A, Albert PS, Lubin JH, Sandler DP, Beane Freeman LE. Dicamba use and cancer incidence in the agricultural health study: an updated analysis. Int J Epidemiol 2021; 49:1326-1337. [PMID: 32357211 DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyaa066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The herbicide dicamba has been commonly used agriculturally and residentially. Recent approval of genetically engineered dicamba-resistant crops is expected to lead to increased dicamba use, and there has been growing interest in potential human health effects. A prior analysis in the Agricultural Health Study (AHS) suggested associations between dicamba and colon and lung cancer. We re-evaluated dicamba use in the AHS, including an additional 12 years and 2702 exposed cancers. METHODS The AHS is a prospective cohort of pesticide applicators in Iowa and North Carolina. At enrollment (1993-1997) and follow-up (1999-2005), participants reported dicamba use. Exposure was characterized by cumulative intensity-weighted lifetime days, including exposure lags of up to 20 years. We estimated relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) using multivariable Poisson regression for incident cancers diagnosed from enrollment through 2014/2015. RESULTS Among 49 922 applicators, 26 412 (52.9%) used dicamba. Compared with applicators reporting no dicamba use, those in the highest quartile of exposure had elevated risk of liver and intrahepatic bile duct cancer (nexposed = 28, RRQ4 = 1.80, CI: 1.26-2.56, Ptrend < 0.001) and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL, nexposed = 93, RRQ4 = 1.20, CI: 0.96-1.50, Ptrend = 0.01) and decreased risk of myeloid leukaemia (nexposed = 55, RRQ4 = 0.73, CI: 0.51-1.03, Ptrend = 0.01). The associations for liver cancer and myeloid leukaemia remained after lagging exposure of up to 20 years. CONCLUSIONS With additional follow-up and exposure information, associations with lung and colon cancer were no longer apparent. In this first evaluation of liver and intrahepatic bile duct cancer, there was an association with increasing use of dicamba that persisted across lags of up to 20 years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine C Lerro
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Jonathan N Hofmann
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Gabriella Andreotti
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Stella Koutros
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Christine G Parks
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Aaron Blair
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Paul S Albert
- Biostatistics Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Jay H Lubin
- Biostatistics Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Dale P Sandler
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Laura E Beane Freeman
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
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Lerro CC, Beane Freeman LE, DellaValle CT, Andreotti G, Hofmann JN, Koutros S, Parks CG, Shrestha S, Alavanja MCR, Blair A, Lubin JH, Sandler DP, Ward MH. Pesticide exposure and incident thyroid cancer among male pesticide applicators in agricultural health study. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 146:106187. [PMID: 33126065 PMCID: PMC10127519 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Revised: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 10/02/2020] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many pesticides are known to have thyroid-disrupting properties. However, few studies have evaluated the association between specific pesticide ingredients and risk of thyroid cancer. We investigated self-reported pesticide use and incident thyroid cancer in the Agricultural Health Study (AHS), a large cohort of occupationally-exposed male pesticide applicators. METHODS The AHS is a prospective cohort of licensed pesticide applicators in Iowa and North Carolina. At enrollment (1993-1997) and follow-up (1999-2005), participants reported use of 50 pesticides. We characterized exposure as ever use (44 pesticides with ≥5 exposed cases) and by cumulative intensity-weighted lifetime days (22 pesticides with ≥10 exposed cases), a metric that accounts for factors that influence exposure. We estimated hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) using Cox regression for incident thyroid (n = 85 cases) cancer among male participants using follow-up through 2014/2015. RESULTS Use of the fungicide metalaxyl (HR = 2.03, CI:1.16-3.52) and the organochlorine insecticide lindane (HR = 1.74, CI:1.06-2.84) was associated with increased risk of thyroid cancer. The herbicide chlorimuron-ethyl was inversely associated with risk when we restricted to papillary thyroid cancer, the most common subtype (HR = 0.52, CI:0.28-0.96). High use of the insecticide carbaryl (>median intensity-weighted days) was inversely associated with thyroid cancer (HR = 0.20, CI:0.08-0.53, ptrend = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS In this large cohort study, we observed increased risk of thyroid cancer associated with use of metalaxyl and lindane, and an inverse association with carbaryl. More work is needed to understand the potential role of these chemicals in thyroid carcinogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine C Lerro
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA.
| | - Laura E Beane Freeman
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Curt T DellaValle
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Gabriella Andreotti
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Jonathan N Hofmann
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Stella Koutros
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Christine G Parks
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Srishti Shrestha
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Michael C R Alavanja
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Aaron Blair
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Jay H Lubin
- Biostatistics Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Dale P Sandler
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Mary H Ward
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
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Shrestha S, Parks CG, Umbach DM, Richards-Barber M, Hofmann JN, Chen H, Blair A, Beane Freeman LE, Sandler DP. Pesticide use and incident Parkinson's disease in a cohort of farmers and their spouses. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 191:110186. [PMID: 32919961 PMCID: PMC7822498 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.110186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Revised: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Extensive literature suggests an association between general pesticide use and Parkinson's disease (PD). However, with few exceptions, little is known about associations between specific pesticides and PD. OBJECTIVE We evaluated use of pesticides and incident PD in 38,274 pesticide applicators and 27,836 of their spouses in the Agricultural Health Study cohort followed over 20 years. METHODS We used self-reported information on ever-use of 50 specific pesticides as of enrollment for both applicators and spouses, and considered intensity-weighted lifetime days (IWLD) reported at enrollment and through the first 5-year follow-up among applicators. We estimated covariate-adjusted hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) using Cox regression. We also examined heterogeneity in associations by history of head injury and chemical resistant glove use. RESULTS A total of 373 applicators and 118 spouses self-reported incident doctor-diagnosed PD. Ever-use of the insecticide terbufos (HR:1.31, 95%CI:1.02-1.68) and the herbicides trifluralin (HR:1.29, 95%CI: 0.99-1.70) and 2,4,5-T (HR:1.57, 95%CI:1.21-2.04) was associated with elevated PD risk. On the other hand, diazinon (HR:0.73, 95%CI: 0.58-0.94) and 2,4,5-TP (HR:0.39, 95%CI:0.25-0.62) were associated with reduced risk. We observed heterogeneity in ever-use associations by head injury and chemical-resistant glove use for some pesticides, with higher risk among those who reported a history of head injury, or who did not use gloves. PD risk was also elevated for applicators in the highest category of IWLD for dichlorvos, permethrin (animal use), and benomyl. CONCLUSIONS We found evidence of increased PD risk for some pesticides. Our results also suggest higher susceptibility for pesticide-associated PD among individuals with head injury as well as protection with use of chemical resistant gloves, although further research is needed to understand the impact of head injury. Research on current and newer pesticides, including mechanisms relevant to PD, is important given widespread pesticide use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Srishti Shrestha
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Christine G Parks
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - David M Umbach
- Biostatistics and Computational Biology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | | | - Jonathan N Hofmann
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Honglei Chen
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Aaron Blair
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Laura E Beane Freeman
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Dale P Sandler
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
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Shrestha S, Umbach DM, Beane Freeman LE, Koutros S, Alavanja MCR, Blair A, Chen H, Sandler DP. Occupational pesticide use and self-reported olfactory impairment in US farmers. Occup Environ Med 2020; 78:oemed-2020-106818. [PMID: 33097675 PMCID: PMC8062570 DOI: 10.1136/oemed-2020-106818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Revised: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Pesticide exposure may impair human olfaction, but empirical evidence is limited. We examined associations between occupational use of 50 specific pesticides and olfactory impairment, both self-reported, among 20 409 participants in the Agricultural Health Study, a prospective cohort of pesticide applicators (mostly farmers, 97% male). METHODS We used logistic regression models to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for associations between pesticide use at enrolment (1993-1997) and olfactory impairment reported two decades later (2013-2016), adjusting for baseline covariates. RESULTS About 10% of participants reported olfactory impairment. The overall cumulative days of any pesticide use at enrolment were associated with a higher odds of reporting olfactory impairment (OR (highest vs lowest quartile): 1.17 (95% CI: 1.02 to 1.34), p-trend = 0.003). In the analyses of 50 specific pesticides, ever-use of 20 pesticides showed modest associations with olfactory impairment, with ORs ranging from 1.11 to 1.33. Of these, higher lifetime days of use of 12 pesticides were associated with higher odds of olfactory impairment compared with never use (p-trend ≤ 0.05), including two organochlorine insecticides (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane and lindane), two organophosphate insecticides (diazinon and malathion), permethrin, the fungicide captan and six herbicides (glyphosate, petroleum distillates, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid and metribuzin), although many of these did not exhibit clear, monotonic exposure-response patterns. CONCLUSION Overall, we found relatively broad associations between pesticides and olfactory impairment, involving many individual pesticides and covering several chemical classes, suggesting that pesticides could affect olfaction through multiple pathways. Future epidemiological studies with objective measurement of olfaction are required to confirm these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Srishti Shrestha
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - David M Umbach
- Biostatistics and Computational Biology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Laura E Beane Freeman
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Stella Koutros
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Michael C R Alavanja
- Formerly of Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Aaron Blair
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Honglei Chen
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Dale P Sandler
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
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10
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Andreotti G, Beane Freeman LE, Shearer JJ, Lerro CC, Koutros S, Parks CG, Blair A, Lynch CF, Lubin JH, Sandler DP, Hofmann JN. Occupational Pesticide Use and Risk of Renal Cell Carcinoma in the Agricultural Health Study. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2020; 128:67011. [PMID: 32692250 PMCID: PMC7292387 DOI: 10.1289/ehp6334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2019] [Revised: 05/05/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Agricultural work and occupational pesticide use have been associated with increased risk of renal cell carcinoma (RCC), the most common form of kidney cancer. However, few prospective studies have investigated links to specific pesticides. OBJECTIVE We evaluated the lifetime use of individual pesticides and the incidence of RCC. METHODS We evaluated the associations between intensity-weighted lifetime days (IWDs) of 38 pesticides and incident RCC in the Agricultural Health Study, a prospective cohort of licensed pesticide applicators in Iowa and North Carolina. Among 55,873 applicators, 308 cases were diagnosed between enrollment (1993-1997) and the end of follow-up (2014-2015). We estimated incidence rate ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using Poisson regression, controlling for potential confounding factors, with lagged and unlagged pesticide exposures. RESULTS There was a statistically significant increased risk of RCC among the highest users of 2,4,5-T compared with never users [unlagged RR IWD Tertile 3 = 2.92 (95% CI: 1.65, 5.17; p trend = 0.001 )], with similar risk estimates for lagged exposure [20-y lag RR IWD Tertile 3 = 3.37 (95% CI: 1.83, 6.22; p trend = 0.001 )]. In 20-y lagged analyses, we also found exposure-response associations with chlorpyrifos [RR IWD Quartile 4 = 1.68 (95% CI: 1.05, 2.70; p trend = 0.01 )], chlordane [RR IWD Tertile 3 = 2.06 (95% CI: 1.10, 3.87; p trend = 0.02 )], atrazine [RR IWD Quartile 4 = 1.43 (95% CI: 1.00, 2.03; p trend = 0.02 )], cyanazine [RR IWD Quartile 4 = 1.61 (95% CI: 1.03, 2.50; p trend = 0.02 )], and paraquat [RR IWD > Median = 1.95 (95% CI: 1.03, 3.70; p trend = 0.04 )]. CONCLUSIONS This is, to our knowledge, the first prospective study to evaluate RCC risk in relation to various pesticides. We found evidence of associations with RCC for four herbicides (2,4,5-T, atrazine, cyanazine, and paraquat) and two insecticides (chlorpyrifos and chlordane). Our findings provide insights into specific chemicals that may influence RCC risk among pesticide applicators. Confirmation of these findings and investigations of the biologic plausibility and potential mechanisms underlying the observed associations are warranted. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP6334.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriella Andreotti
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Laura E Beane Freeman
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Joseph J Shearer
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Catherine C Lerro
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Stella Koutros
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Christine G Parks
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH, DHHS, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Aaron Blair
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Charles F Lynch
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
- State Health Registry of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Jay H Lubin
- Biostatistics Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, NCI, NIH, DHHS, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Dale P Sandler
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH, DHHS, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jonathan N Hofmann
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Rockville, Maryland, USA
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11
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Werder EJ, Engel LS, Satagopan J, Blair A, Koutros S, Lerro CC, Alavanja MC, Sandler DP, Beane Freeman LE. Herbicide, fumigant, and fungicide use and breast cancer risk among farmers' wives. Environ Epidemiol 2020; 4:e097. [PMID: 32613154 PMCID: PMC7289136 DOI: 10.1097/ee9.0000000000000097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Evidence from epidemiologic and laboratory studies relating pesticides to breast cancer risk is inconsistent. Women engaging in agricultural work or living in agricultural areas may experience appreciable exposures to a wide range of pesticides, including herbicides, fumigants, and fungicides. METHODS We examined exposure to herbicides, fumigants, and fungicides in relation to breast cancer risk among farmers' wives with no prior history of breast cancer in the Agricultural Health Study. Women provided information on pesticide use, demographics, and reproductive history at enrollment (1993-1997) and at a 5-year follow-up interview. We used Cox proportional hazards regression to estimate associations (hazard ratios [HRs] and 95% confidence intervals [CIs]) between the women's and their husbands' self-reported use of individual pesticides and incident breast cancer risk. RESULTS Out of 30,594 women, 38% reported using herbicides, fumigants, or fungicides and 1,081 were diagnosed with breast cancer during a median 15.3 years of follow-up. We found elevated risk in relation to women's ever use of the fungicide benomyl (HR = 1.6; 95% CI = 0.9, 2.7) and the herbicide 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T) (HR = 1.6; 95% CI = 0.8, 3.1) and to their husbands' use of the herbicide 2-(2,4,5-trichlorophenoxy) propionic acid (2,4,5-TP) (HR = 1.5; 95% CI = 0.9, 2.7). We observed few other chemical associations and little evidence of differential risk by tumor estrogen receptor status or linear exposure-response relationships. CONCLUSION We did not observe clear excesses between use of specific pesticides and breast cancer risk across exposure metrics, although we did observe elevated risk associated with women's use of benomyl and 2,4,5-T and husbands' use of 2,4,5-TP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily J. Werder
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
- Department of Epidemiology, UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Lawrence S. Engel
- Department of Epidemiology, UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Jaya Satagopan
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Rutgers-The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey
| | - Aaron Blair
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Stella Koutros
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Catherine C. Lerro
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Michael C. Alavanja
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Dale P. Sandler
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
| | - Laura E. Beane Freeman
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Bethesda, Maryland
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12
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Leon ME, Schinasi LH, Lebailly P, Beane Freeman LE, Nordby KC, Ferro G, Monnereau A, Brouwer M, Tual S, Baldi I, Kjaerheim K, Hofmann JN, Kristensen P, Koutros S, Straif K, Kromhout H, Schüz J. Pesticide use and risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoid malignancies in agricultural cohorts from France, Norway and the USA: a pooled analysis from the AGRICOH consortium. Int J Epidemiol 2019; 48:1519-1535. [PMID: 30880337 PMCID: PMC6857760 DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyz017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pesticides are commonly used in agriculture, and previous studies endorsed the need to further investigate the possible association between their use and risk of lymphoid malignancies in agricultural workers. METHODS We investigated the relationship of ever use of 14 selected pesticide chemical groups and 33 individual active chemical ingredients with non-Hodgkin lymphoid malignancies (NHL) overall or major subtypes, in a pooled analysis of three large agricultural worker cohorts. Pesticide use was derived from self-reported history of crops cultivated combined with crop-exposure matrices (France and Norway) or self-reported lifetime use of active ingredients (USA). Cox regression models were used to estimate cohort-specific hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), which were combined using random effects meta-analysis to calculate meta-HRs. RESULTS During follow-up, 2430 NHL cases were diagnosed in 316 270 farmers accruing 3 574 815 person-years under risk. Most meta-HRs suggested no association. Moderately elevated meta-HRs were seen for: NHL and ever use of terbufos (meta-HR = 1.18, 95% CI: 1.00-1.39); chronic lymphocytic leukaemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma and deltamethrin (1.48, 1.06-2.07); and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and glyphosate (1.36, 1.00-1.85); as well as inverse associations of NHL with the broader groups of organochlorine insecticides (0.86, 0.74-0.99) and phenoxy herbicides (0.81, 0.67-0.98), but not with active ingredients within these groups, after adjusting for exposure to other pesticides. CONCLUSIONS Associations of pesticides with NHL appear to be subtype- and chemical-specific. Non-differential exposure misclassification was an important limitation, showing the need for refinement of exposure estimates and exposure-response analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria E Leon
- Section of Environment and Radiation, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), Lyon, France
| | - Leah H Schinasi
- Section of Environment and Radiation, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), Lyon, France
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Pierre Lebailly
- ANTICIPE, U1086 INSERM, Université de Caen Normandie, and Centre de Lutte Contre le Cancer François Baclesse, Caen, France
| | - Laura E Beane Freeman
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute (NCI), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Karl-Christian Nordby
- Department of Occupational Medicine and Epidemiology, National Institute of Occupational Health (STAMI), Oslo, Norway
| | - Gilles Ferro
- Section of Environment and Radiation, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), Lyon, France
| | - Alain Monnereau
- Hematological Malignancies Registry of Gironde, Bergonie Institute, Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Bordeaux, France
- University of Bordeaux, INSERM U1219 Center - EPICENE Team, CHU de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Maartje Brouwer
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Séverine Tual
- ANTICIPE, U1086 INSERM, Université de Caen Normandie, and Centre de Lutte Contre le Cancer François Baclesse, Caen, France
| | - Isabelle Baldi
- CHU de Bordeaux, Service de Médecine du Travail et Pathologie Professionnelle, Bordeaux, France
| | | | - Jonathan N Hofmann
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute (NCI), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Petter Kristensen
- Department of Occupational Medicine and Epidemiology, National Institute of Occupational Health (STAMI), Oslo, Norway
| | - Stella Koutros
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute (NCI), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kurt Straif
- Section of Evidence Synthesis and Classification, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), Lyon, France
| | - Hans Kromhout
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Joachim Schüz
- Section of Environment and Radiation, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), Lyon, France
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13
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Lerro CC, Andreotti G, Koutros S, Lee WJ, Hofmann JN, Sandler DP, Parks CG, Blair A, Lubin JH, Beane Freeman LE. Alachlor Use and Cancer Incidence in the Agricultural Health Study: An Updated Analysis. J Natl Cancer Inst 2019; 110:950-958. [PMID: 29471327 DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djy005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2017] [Accepted: 01/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The herbicide alachlor has been widely used in US agriculture since its introduction in 1969. Experimental animal studies show that alachlor causes tumors in vivo; however, few epidemiologic studies have examined associations with human cancer risk. We evaluated alachlor use and cancer incidence in the Agricultural Health Study, updating an earlier analysis that suggested associations with lymphohematopoietic cancers with an additional 540 142 person-years of follow-up and 5113 cancer cases. Methods Pesticide applicators in Iowa and North Carolina reported lifetime alachlor use at enrollment (1993-1997) and follow-up (1999-2005). Exposure was characterized by cumulative intensity-weighted days. We estimated relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using Poisson regression for incident cancers from enrollment through 2012(NC)/2013(IA). Models adjusted for age, tobacco, alcohol, and other pesticides. All statistical tests are two-sided. Results Among 49 685 applicators, 25 640 (51.6%) used alachlor, with 3534 alachlor-exposed cancers. The relative risks of laryngeal cancer (nexposed = 34) increased in the second (RR = 4.68, 95% CI = 1.95 to 11.23), third (RR = 6.04, 95% CI = 2.44 to 14.99), and fourth quartiles (RR = 7.10, 95% CI = 2.58 to 19.53) of intensity-weighted days of use compared with no use (Ptrend = .001). Risk of myeloid leukemia was elevated, though not statistically significantly so, in the fourth quartile of intensity-weighted days of use (RR = 1.82, 95% CI = 0.85 to 3.87, Ptrend = .17). Conclusions We observed a strong positive association with use of alachlor and laryngeal cancer and a weaker association with myeloid leukemia. The strength and robustness of the association with laryngeal cancer suggests that long-term occupational exposure to alachlor may be a risk factor for laryngeal cancer. This first report requires confirmation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine C Lerro
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD
| | - Gabriella Andreotti
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD
| | - Stella Koutros
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD
| | - Won Jin Lee
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jonathan N Hofmann
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD
| | - Dale P Sandler
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC
| | - Christine G Parks
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC
| | - Aaron Blair
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD
| | - Jay H Lubin
- Biostatistics Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD
| | - Laura E Beane Freeman
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD
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14
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Zhang L, Rana I, Shaffer RM, Taioli E, Sheppard L. Exposure to glyphosate-based herbicides and risk for non-Hodgkin lymphoma: A meta-analysis and supporting evidence. MUTATION RESEARCH. REVIEWS IN MUTATION RESEARCH 2019; 781:186-206. [PMID: 31342895 PMCID: PMC6706269 DOI: 10.1016/j.mrrev.2019.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 138] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2018] [Revised: 02/02/2019] [Accepted: 02/05/2019] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Glyphosate is the most widely used broad-spectrum systemic herbicide in the world. Recent evaluations of the carcinogenic potential of glyphosate-based herbicides (GBHs) by various regional, national, and international agencies have engendered controversy. We investigated whether there was an association between high cumulative exposures to GBHs and increased risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in humans. We conducted a new meta-analysis that includes the most recent update of the Agricultural Health Study (AHS) cohort published in 2018 along with five case-control studies. Using the highest exposure groups when available in each study, we report the overall meta-relative risk (meta-RR) of NHL in GBH-exposed individuals was increased by 41% (meta-RR = 1.41, 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.13-1.75). For comparison, we also performed a secondary meta-analysis using high-exposure groups with the earlier AHS (2005), and we calculated a meta-RR for NHL of 1.45 (95% CI: 1.11-1.91), which was higher than the meta-RRs reported previously. Multiple sensitivity tests conducted to assess the validity of our findings did not reveal meaningful differences from our primary estimated meta-RR. To contextualize our findings of an increased NHL risk in individuals with high GBH exposure, we reviewed publicly available animal and mechanistic studies related to lymphoma. We documented further support from studies of malignant lymphoma incidence in mice treated with pure glyphosate, as well as potential links between glyphosate / GBH exposure and immunosuppression, endocrine disruption, and genetic alterations that are commonly associated with NHL or lymphomagenesis. Overall, in accordance with findings from experimental animal and mechanistic studies, our current meta-analysis of human epidemiological studies suggests a compelling link between exposures to GBHs and increased risk for NHL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luoping Zhang
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, USA.
| | - Iemaan Rana
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, USA
| | - Rachel M Shaffer
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, USA
| | - Emanuela Taioli
- Institute for Translational Epidemiology and Department of Population Health Science and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA
| | - Lianne Sheppard
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, USA; Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, USA
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15
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Sheppard L, Shaffer RM. Re: Glyphosate Use and Cancer Incidence in the Agricultural Health Study. J Natl Cancer Inst 2019; 111:214-215. [PMID: 30597026 PMCID: PMC6376901 DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djy200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Revised: 10/17/2018] [Accepted: 10/17/2018] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lianne Sheppard
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
| | - Rachel M Shaffer
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
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16
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Andreotti G, Lubin JH, Koutros S, Hofmann JN, Sandler DP, Lerro CC, Parks CG, Silverman DT, Beane Freeman LE. Response to Sheppard and Shaffer. J Natl Cancer Inst 2019; 111:216-218. [PMID: 30597056 PMCID: PMC6657274 DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djy201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2018] [Accepted: 10/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Dale P Sandler
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, NC
| | | | - Christine G Parks
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, NC
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17
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Lerro CC, Jones RR, Langseth H, Grimsrud TK, Engel LS, Sjödin A, Choo-Wosoba H, Albert P, Ward MH. A nested case-control study of polychlorinated biphenyls, organochlorine pesticides, and thyroid cancer in the Janus Serum Bank cohort. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2018; 165:125-132. [PMID: 29698872 PMCID: PMC5999553 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2018.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2017] [Revised: 03/14/2018] [Accepted: 04/16/2018] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides have been associated with altered thyroid hormone levels in humans, but their relationship with thyroid cancer is unknown. METHODS We conducted a nested case-control study of thyroid cancer in the Norwegian Janus Serum Bank cohort using pre-diagnostic blood samples from 1972 to 1985. Incident thyroid cancer (n = 108) was ascertained through 2008. Controls were matched 2:1 by age, date of blood draw, gender, and county. We used gas chromatography/mass spectrometry to quantify 36 PCB congeners and metabolites of pesticides DDT, chlordane, hexachlorocyclohexane, and hexachlorobenzene. PCBs and pesticide metabolites were evaluated individually and summed by degree of chlorination and parent compound, respectively. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were computed using conditional logistic regression per specified increase in lipid-adjusted concentration. We additionally stratified analyses by birth cohort (1923-1932, 1933-1942, 1943-1957). RESULTS Increasing concentration of DDT metabolites (ORper 1000 ng/g = 0.80, 95%CI = 0.66-0.98) was inversely associated with thyroid cancer. Associations for PCBs were null or in inverse direction. We observed interactions for total PCBs, moderately-chlorinated PCBs, and chlordane metabolites with birth cohort (p ≤ 0.04). Among participants born 1943-1957, total PCBs (ORper 100 ng/g = 1.25, 95%CI = 1.00-1.56), moderately-chlorinated PCBs (ORper 100 ng/g = 1.31, 95%CI = 1.01-1.70), and chlordane metabolites (ORper 10 ng/g = 1.78, 95%CI = 1.09-2.93) were positively associated with thyroid cancer. For individuals born before 1943, associations were generally null or in the inverse direction. CONCLUSIONS Emissions of PCBs and OC pesticides varied over time. Different risk patterns by birth cohort suggest the potential importance of timing of exposure in thyroid cancer risk. Further evaluation of these associations is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine C Lerro
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA.
| | - Rena R Jones
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Hilde Langseth
- Department of Research, Institute of Population-Based Cancer Research, Cancer Registry of Norway, Oslo, Norway
| | - Tom K Grimsrud
- Department of Research, Institute of Population-Based Cancer Research, Cancer Registry of Norway, Oslo, Norway
| | - Lawrence S Engel
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina Gillings School of Public Health, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Andreas Sjödin
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Hyoyoung Choo-Wosoba
- Biostatistics Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Paul Albert
- Biostatistics Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Mary H Ward
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
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Ward EM. Glyphosate Use and Cancer Incidence in the Agricultural Health Study: An Epidemiologic Perspective. J Natl Cancer Inst 2018; 110:446-447. [PMID: 29155945 DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djx247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2017] [Accepted: 10/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth M Ward
- United States Public Health Service (retired), Asheville, NC
- Intramural Research, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, GA
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Andreotti G, Koutros S, Hofmann JN, Sandler DP, Lubin JH, Lynch CF, Lerro CC, De Roos AJ, Parks CG, Alavanja MC, Silverman DT, Beane Freeman LE. Glyphosate Use and Cancer Incidence in the Agricultural Health Study. J Natl Cancer Inst 2018; 110:509-516. [PMID: 29136183 PMCID: PMC6279255 DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djx233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2017] [Revised: 09/20/2017] [Accepted: 10/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Glyphosate is the most commonly used herbicide worldwide, with both residential and agricultural uses. In 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified glyphosate as "probably carcinogenic to humans," noting strong mechanistic evidence and positive associations for non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in some epidemiologic studies. A previous evaluation in the Agricultural Health Study (AHS) with follow-up through 2001 found no statistically significant associations with glyphosate use and cancer at any site. Methods The AHS is a prospective cohort of licensed pesticide applicators from North Carolina and Iowa. Here, we updated the previous evaluation of glyphosate with cancer incidence from registry linkages through 2012 (North Carolina)/2013 (Iowa). Lifetime days and intensity-weighted lifetime days of glyphosate use were based on self-reported information from enrollment (1993-1997) and follow-up questionnaires (1999-2005). We estimated incidence rate ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using Poisson regression, controlling for potential confounders, including use of other pesticides. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results Among 54 251 applicators, 44 932 (82.8%) used glyphosate, including 5779 incident cancer cases (79.3% of all cases). In unlagged analyses, glyphosate was not statistically significantly associated with cancer at any site. However, among applicators in the highest exposure quartile, there was an increased risk of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) compared with never users (RR = 2.44, 95% CI = 0.94 to 6.32, Ptrend = .11), though this association was not statistically significant. Results for AML were similar with a five-year (RRQuartile 4 = 2.32, 95% CI = 0.98 to 5.51, Ptrend = .07) and 20-year exposure lag (RRTertile 3 = 2.04, 95% CI = 1.05 to 3.97, Ptrend = .04). Conclusions In this large, prospective cohort study, no association was apparent between glyphosate and any solid tumors or lymphoid malignancies overall, including NHL and its subtypes. There was some evidence of increased risk of AML among the highest exposed group that requires confirmation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Dale P Sandler
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, NC
| | | | - Charles F Lynch
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- State Health Registry of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
| | | | - Anneclaire J De Roos
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Christine G Parks
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, NC
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20
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Engel LS, Werder E, Satagopan J, Blair A, Hoppin JA, Koutros S, Lerro CC, Sandler DP, Alavanja MC, Beane Freeman LE. Insecticide Use and Breast Cancer Risk among Farmers' Wives in the Agricultural Health Study. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2017; 125:097002. [PMID: 28934092 PMCID: PMC5915194 DOI: 10.1289/ehp1295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2016] [Revised: 04/25/2017] [Accepted: 05/08/2017] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Some epidemiologic and laboratory studies suggest that insecticides are related to increased breast cancer risk, but the evidence is inconsistent. Women engaged in agricultural work or who reside in agricultural areas may experience appreciable exposures to a wide range of insecticides. OBJECTIVE We examined associations between insecticide use and breast cancer incidence among wives of pesticide applicators (farmers) in the prospective Agricultural Health Study. METHODS Farmers and their wives provided information on insecticide use, demographics, and reproductive history at enrollment in 1993-1997 and in 5-y follow-up interviews. Cancer incidence was determined via cancer registries. Among 30,594 wives with no history of breast cancer before enrollment, we examined breast cancer risk in relation to the women's and their husbands' insecticide use using Cox proportional hazards regression to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS During an average 14.7-y follow-up, 39% of the women reported ever using insecticides, and 1,081 were diagnosed with breast cancer. Although ever use of insecticides overall was not associated with breast cancer risk, risk was elevated among women who had ever used the organophosphates chlorpyrifos [HR=1.4 (95% CI: 1.0, 2.0)] or terbufos [HR=1.5 (95% CI: 1.0, 2.1)], with nonsignificantly increased risks for coumaphos [HR=1.5 (95% CI: 0.9, 2.5)] and heptachlor [HR=1.5 (95% CI: 0.7, 2.9)]. Risk in relation to the wives' use was associated primarily with premenopausal breast cancer. We found little evidence of differential risk by tumor estrogen receptor status. Among women who did not apply pesticides, the husband's use of fonofos was associated with elevated risk, although no exposure-response trend was observed. CONCLUSION Use of several organophosphate insecticides was associated with elevated breast cancer risk. However, associations for the women's and husbands' use of these insecticides showed limited concordance. Ongoing cohort follow-up may help clarify the relationship, if any, between individual insecticide exposures and breast cancer risk. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP1295.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lawrence S Engel
- Department of Epidemiology, UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina , Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Emily Werder
- Department of Epidemiology, UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina , Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jaya Satagopan
- Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center , New York, New York, USA
| | - Aaron Blair
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) , Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Jane A Hoppin
- Department of Biological Sciences, and
- Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University , Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
| | - Stella Koutros
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) , Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Catherine C Lerro
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) , Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Dale P Sandler
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH, DHHS , Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Michael C Alavanja
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) , Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Laura E Beane Freeman
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) , Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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Ma Y, Zhang W, Lyman S, Huang Y. The HCUP SID Imputation Project: Improving Statistical Inferences for Health Disparities Research by Imputing Missing Race Data. Health Serv Res 2017; 53:1870-1889. [PMID: 28474359 DOI: 10.1111/1475-6773.12704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To identify the most appropriate imputation method for missing data in the HCUP State Inpatient Databases (SID) and assess the impact of different missing data methods on racial disparities research. DATA SOURCES/STUDY SETTING HCUP SID. STUDY DESIGN A novel simulation study compared four imputation methods (random draw, hot deck, joint multiple imputation [MI], conditional MI) for missing values for multiple variables, including race, gender, admission source, median household income, and total charges. The simulation was built on real data from the SID to retain their hierarchical data structures and missing data patterns. Additional predictive information from the U.S. Census and American Hospital Association (AHA) database was incorporated into the imputation. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Conditional MI prediction was equivalent or superior to the best performing alternatives for all missing data structures and substantially outperformed each of the alternatives in various scenarios. CONCLUSIONS Conditional MI substantially improved statistical inferences for racial health disparities research with the SID.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Ma
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, Washington, DC
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Little Rock, AR
| | - Stephen Lyman
- Healthcare Research Institute, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY.,Department of Healthcare Policy and Research, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY
| | - Yihe Huang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, Washington, DC
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22
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Bonner MR, Freeman LEB, Hoppin JA, Koutros S, Sandler DP, Lynch CF, Hines CJ, Thomas K, Blair A, Alavanja MC. Occupational Exposure to Pesticides and the Incidence of Lung Cancer in the Agricultural Health Study. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2017; 125:544-551. [PMID: 27384818 PMCID: PMC5381995 DOI: 10.1289/ehp456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2015] [Revised: 05/03/2016] [Accepted: 06/14/2016] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Occupational pesticide use is associated with lung cancer in some, but not all, epidemiologic studies. In the Agricultural Health Study (AHS), we previously reported positive associations between several pesticides and lung cancer incidence. OBJECTIVE We evaluated use of 43 pesticides and 654 lung cancer cases after 10 years of additional follow-up in the AHS, a prospective cohort study comprising 57,310 pesticide applicators from Iowa and North Carolina. METHODS Information about lifetime pesticide use and other factors was ascertained at enrollment (1993-1997) and updated with a follow-up questionnaire (1999-2005). Cox proportional hazards models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusting for smoking (smoking status and pack-years), sex, and lifetime days of use of any pesticides. RESULTS Hazard ratios were elevated in the highest exposure category of lifetime days of use for pendimethalin (1.50; 95% CI: 0.98, 2.31), dieldrin (1.93; 95% CI: 0.70, 5.30), and chlorimuron ethyl (1.74; 95% CI: 1.02, 2.96), although monotonic exposure-response gradients were not evident. The HRs for intensity-weighted lifetime days of use of these pesticides were similar. For parathion, the trend was statistically significant for intensity-weighted lifetime days (p = 0.049) and borderline for lifetime days (p = 0.073). None of the remaining pesticides evaluated was associated with lung cancer incidence. CONCLUSIONS These analyses provide additional evidence for an association between pendimethalin, dieldrin, and parathion use and lung cancer risk. We found an association between chlorimuron ethyl, a herbicide introduced in 1986, and lung cancer that has not been previously reported. Continued follow-up is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew R. Bonner
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
- Address Correspondence to M.R. Bonner, Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214 USA. Telephone: (716) 829-5385. E-mail:
| | - Laura E. Beane Freeman
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Jane A. Hoppin
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
| | - Stella Koutros
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Dale P. Sandler
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH, DHHS, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Charles F. Lynch
- College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Cynthia J. Hines
- Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Kent Thomas
- National Exposure Research Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Aaron Blair
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Michael C.R. Alavanja
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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Brouwer M, Schinasi L, Beane Freeman LE, Baldi I, Lebailly P, Ferro G, Nordby KC, Schüz J, Leon ME, Kromhout H. Assessment of occupational exposure to pesticides in a pooled analysis of agricultural cohorts within the AGRICOH consortium. Occup Environ Med 2016; 73:359-67. [PMID: 27009271 DOI: 10.1136/oemed-2015-103319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2015] [Accepted: 03/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This paper describes methods developed to assess occupational exposure to pesticide active ingredients and chemical groups, harmonised across cohort studies included in the first AGRICOH pooling project, focused on the risk of lymph-haematological malignancies. METHODS Three prospective agricultural cohort studies were included: US Agricultural Health Study (AHS), French Agriculture and Cancer Study (AGRICAN) and Cancer in the Norwegian Agricultural Population (CNAP). Self-reported pesticide use was collected in AHS. Crop-exposure matrices (CEMs) were developed for AGRICAN and CNAP. We explored the potential impact of these differences in exposure assessment by comparing a CEM approach estimating exposure in AHS with self-reported pesticide use. RESULTS In AHS, 99% of participants were considered exposed to pesticides, 68% in AGRICAN and 63% in CNAP. For all cohorts combined (n=316 270), prevalence of exposure ranged from 19% to 59% for 14 chemical groups examined, and from 13% to 46% for 33 active ingredients. Exposures were highly correlated within AGRICAN and CNAP where CEMs were applied; they were less correlated in AHS. Poor agreement was found between self-reported pesticide use and assigned exposure in AHS using a CEM approach resembling the assessment for AGRICAN (κ -0.00 to 0.33) and CNAP (κ -0.01 to 0.14). CONCLUSIONS We developed country-specific CEMs to assign occupational exposure to pesticides in cohorts lacking self-reported data on the use of specific pesticides. The different exposure assessment methods applied may overestimate or underestimate actual exposure prevalence, and additional work is needed to better estimate how far the exposure estimates deviate from reality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maartje Brouwer
- Division of Environmental Epidemiology, Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Leah Schinasi
- Section of Environment and Radiation, International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France
| | - Laura E Beane Freeman
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, National Cancer Institute (NCI), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Isabelle Baldi
- Laboratoire Santé Travail Environnement, ISPED, Université Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France Centre INSERM U897-Epidemiologie-Biostatistique, ISPED, INSERM, Bordeaux, France Service de Médecine du Travail, CHU de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Pierre Lebailly
- UMR1086-Cancers et Préventions, INSERM, Caen, France Cancers et Préventions, IFR146 ICORE, Université Caen Basse-Normandie, Caen, France Centre de Lutte Contre le Cancer François Baclesse, Caen, France
| | - Gilles Ferro
- Section of Environment and Radiation, International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France
| | - Karl-Christian Nordby
- Department of Occupational Medicine and Epidemiology, National Institute of Occupational Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Joachim Schüz
- Section of Environment and Radiation, International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France
| | - Maria E Leon
- Section of Environment and Radiation, International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France
| | - Hans Kromhout
- Division of Environmental Epidemiology, Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Koutros S, Silverman DT, Alavanja MC, Andreotti G, Lerro CC, Heltshe S, Lynch CF, Sandler DP, Blair A, Beane Freeman LE. Occupational exposure to pesticides and bladder cancer risk. Int J Epidemiol 2015; 45:792-805. [PMID: 26411407 DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyv195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In the developed world, occupational exposures are a leading cause of bladder cancer. A few studies have suggested a link between pesticide exposures among agricultural populations and bladder cancer. METHODS We used data from the Agricultural Health Study, a prospective cohort study which includes 57 310 pesticide applicators with detailed information on pesticide use, to evaluate the association between pesticides and bladder cancer. We used Poisson regression to calculate rate ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to estimate the association between each of 65 pesticides and 321 incident bladder cancer cases which accrued over the course of follow-up (1993-2011), adjusting for lifestyle and demographic and non-pesticide farm-related exposures, including those previously linked to bladder cancer. We conducted additional analyses stratified by smoking status (never, former, current). RESULTS We observed associations with bladder cancer risk for two imidazolinone herbicides, imazethapyr and imazaquin, which are aromatic amines. Ever use of imazaquin (RR = 1.54, 95% CI: 1.05, 2.26) was associated with increased risk whereas the excess risk among users of imazethapyr was evident among never smokers (RR in highest quartile vs non-exposed = 3.03, 95% CI: 1.46, 6.29, P-interaction = 0.005). We also observed increased risks overall and among never smokers for use of several chlorinated pesticides including chlorophenoxy herbicides and organochlorine insecticides. CONCLUSIONS Several associations between specific pesticides and bladder cancer risk were observed, many of which were stronger among never smokers, suggesting that possible risk factors for bladder cancer may be more readily detectable in those unexposed to potent risk factors like tobacco smoke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stella Koutros
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA,
| | - Debra T Silverman
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Michael Cr Alavanja
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Gabriella Andreotti
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Catherine C Lerro
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Sonya Heltshe
- Seattle Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Washington School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Charles F Lynch
- College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA and
| | - Dale P Sandler
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Aaron Blair
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Laura E Beane Freeman
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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Silver SR, Bertke SJ, Hines CJ, Alavanja MCR, Hoppin JA, Lubin JH, Rusiecki JA, Sandler DP, Beane Freeman LE. Cancer incidence and metolachlor use in the Agricultural Health Study: An update. Int J Cancer 2015; 137:2630-43. [PMID: 26033014 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.29621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2015] [Revised: 05/05/2015] [Accepted: 05/07/2015] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Metolachlor, a widely used herbicide, is classified as a Group C carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency based on increased liver neoplasms in female rats. Epidemiologic studies of the health effects of metolachlor have been limited. The Agricultural Health Study (AHS) is a prospective cohort study including licensed private and commercial pesticide applicators in Iowa and North Carolina enrolled 1993-1997. We evaluated cancer incidence through 2010/2011 (NC/IA) for 49,616 applicators, 53% of whom reported ever using metolachlor. We used Poisson regression to evaluate relations between two metrics of metolachlor use (lifetime days, intensity-weighted lifetime days) and cancer incidence. We saw no association between metolachlor use and incidence of all cancers combined (n = 5,701 with a 5-year lag) or most site-specific cancers. For liver cancer, in analyses restricted to exposed workers, elevations observed at higher categories of use were not statistically significant. However, trends for both lifetime and intensity-weighted lifetime days of metolachor use were positive and statistically significant with an unexposed reference group. A similar pattern was observed for follicular cell lymphoma, but no other lymphoma subtypes. An earlier suggestion of increased lung cancer risk at high levels of metolachlor use in this cohort was not confirmed in this update. This suggestion of an association between metolachlor and liver cancer among pesticide applicators is a novel finding and echoes observation of increased liver neoplasms in some animal studies. However, our findings for both liver cancer and follicular cell lymphoma warrant follow-up to better differentiate effects of metolachlor use from other factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon R Silver
- Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations and Field Studies, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Steven J Bertke
- Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations and Field Studies, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Cynthia J Hines
- Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations and Field Studies, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Michael C R Alavanja
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD
| | - Jane A Hoppin
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
| | - Jay H Lubin
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD
| | - Jennifer A Rusiecki
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD
| | - Dale P Sandler
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC
| | - Laura E Beane Freeman
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD
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26
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Jones RR, Barone-Adesi F, Koutros S, Lerro CC, Blair A, Lubin J, Heltshe SL, Hoppin JA, Alavanja MCR, Beane Freeman LE. Incidence of solid tumours among pesticide applicators exposed to the organophosphate insecticide diazinon in the Agricultural Health Study: an updated analysis. Occup Environ Med 2015; 72:496-503. [PMID: 25907210 DOI: 10.1136/oemed-2014-102728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2014] [Accepted: 02/23/2015] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Diazinon, a common organophosphate insecticide with genotoxic properties, was previously associated with lung cancer in the Agricultural Health Study (AHS) cohort, but few other epidemiological studies have examined diazinon-associated cancer risk. We used updated diazinon exposure and cancer incidence information to evaluate solid tumour risk in the AHS. METHODS Male pesticide applicators in Iowa and North Carolina reported lifetime diazinon use at enrolment (1993-1997) and follow-up (1998-2005); cancer incidence was assessed through 2010(North Carolina)/2011(Iowa). Among applicators with usage information sufficient to evaluate exposure-response patterns, we used Poisson regression to estimate adjusted rate ratios (RRs) and 95% CI for cancer sites with ≥10 exposed cases for both lifetime (LT) exposure days and intensity-weighted (IW) lifetime exposure days (accounting for factors impacting exposure). RESULTS We observed elevated lung cancer risks (N=283) among applicators with the greatest number of LT (RR=1.60; 95% CI 1.11 to 2.31; P(trend)=0.02) and IW days of diazinon use (RR=1.41; 95% CI 0.98 to 2.04; P(trend)=0.08). Kidney cancer (N=94) risks were non-significantly elevated (RR(LT) days=1.77; 95% CI 0.90 to 3.51; P(trend)=0.09; RR(IW) days 1.37; 95% CI 0.64 to 2.92; P(trend)=0.50), as were risks for aggressive prostate cancer (N=656). CONCLUSIONS Our updated evaluation of diazinon provides additional evidence of an association with lung cancer risk. Newly identified links to kidney cancer and associations with aggressive prostate cancer require further evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rena R Jones
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Stella Koutros
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Catherine C Lerro
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Aaron Blair
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Jay Lubin
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Sonya L Heltshe
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Jane A Hoppin
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
| | - Michael C R Alavanja
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Laura E Beane Freeman
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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Alavanja MCR, Hofmann JN, Lynch CF, Hines CJ, Barry KH, Barker J, Buckman DW, Thomas K, Sandler DP, Hoppin JA, Koutros S, Andreotti G, Lubin JH, Blair A, Beane Freeman LE. Non-hodgkin lymphoma risk and insecticide, fungicide and fumigant use in the agricultural health study. PLoS One 2014; 9:e109332. [PMID: 25337994 PMCID: PMC4206281 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0109332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2014] [Accepted: 08/30/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Farming and pesticide use have previously been linked to non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and multiple myeloma (MM). We evaluated agricultural use of specific insecticides, fungicides, and fumigants and risk of NHL and NHL-subtypes (including CLL and MM) in a U.S.-based prospective cohort of farmers and commercial pesticide applicators. A total of 523 cases occurred among 54,306 pesticide applicators from enrollment (1993-97) through December 31, 2011 in Iowa, and December 31, 2010 in North Carolina. Information on pesticide use, other agricultural exposures and other factors was obtained from questionnaires at enrollment and at follow-up approximately five years later (1999-2005). Information from questionnaires, monitoring, and the literature were used to create lifetime-days and intensity-weighted lifetime days of pesticide use, taking into account exposure-modifying factors. Poisson and polytomous models were used to calculate relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) to evaluate associations between 26 pesticides and NHL and five NHL-subtypes, while adjusting for potential confounding factors. For total NHL, statistically significant positive exposure-response trends were seen with lindane and DDT. Terbufos was associated with total NHL in ever/never comparisons only. In subtype analyses, terbufos and DDT were associated with small cell lymphoma/chronic lymphocytic leukemia/marginal cell lymphoma, lindane and diazinon with follicular lymphoma, and permethrin with MM. However, tests of homogeneity did not show significant differences in exposure-response among NHL-subtypes for any pesticide. Because 26 pesticides were evaluated for their association with NHL and its subtypes, some chance finding could have occurred. Our results showed pesticides from different chemical and functional classes were associated with an excess risk of NHL and NHL subtypes, but not all members of any single class of pesticides were associated with an elevated risk of NHL or NHL subtypes. These findings are among the first to suggest links between DDT, lindane, permethrin, diazinon and terbufos with NHL subtypes.
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MESH Headings
- Adult
- Aged
- Agricultural Workers' Diseases/chemically induced
- Agricultural Workers' Diseases/epidemiology
- Agriculture
- Fungicides, Industrial/toxicity
- Humans
- Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated/toxicity
- Insecticides/toxicity
- Iowa
- Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell/chemically induced
- Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell/epidemiology
- Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell/pathology
- Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin/chemically induced
- Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin/epidemiology
- Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin/pathology
- Middle Aged
- Multiple Myeloma/chemically induced
- Multiple Myeloma/epidemiology
- Multiple Myeloma/pathology
- North Carolina
- Risk Factors
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael C. R. Alavanja
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Jonathan N. Hofmann
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Charles F. Lynch
- College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Cynthia J. Hines
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Kathryn H. Barry
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Joseph Barker
- IMS, Inc, Calverton, Maryland, United States of America
| | | | - Kent Thomas
- National Exposure Research Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Dale P. Sandler
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Jane A. Hoppin
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Stella Koutros
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Gabriella Andreotti
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Jay H. Lubin
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Aaron Blair
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Laura E. Beane Freeman
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
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Duan F, Ogden D, Xu L, Liu K, Lust G, Sandler J, Dykes NL, Zhu L, Harris S, Jones P, Todhunter RJ, Zhang Z. Principal component analysis of canine hip dysplasia phenotypes and their statistical power for genome-wide association mapping. J Appl Stat 2013. [DOI: 10.1080/02664763.2012.740617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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Koutros S, Beane Freeman LE, Lubin JH, Heltshe SL, Andreotti G, Barry KH, DellaValle CT, Hoppin JA, Sandler DP, Lynch CF, Blair A, Alavanja MCR. Risk of total and aggressive prostate cancer and pesticide use in the Agricultural Health Study. Am J Epidemiol 2013; 177:59-74. [PMID: 23171882 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kws225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 124] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Because pesticides may operate through different mechanisms, the authors studied the risk of prostate cancer associated with specific pesticides in the Agricultural Health Study (1993-2007). With 1,962 incident cases, including 919 aggressive prostate cancers among 54,412 applicators, this is the largest study to date. Rate ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated by using Poisson regression to evaluate lifetime use of 48 pesticides and prostate cancer incidence. Three organophosphate insecticides were significantly associated with aggressive prostate cancer: fonofos (rate ratio (RR) for the highest quartile of exposure (Q4) vs. nonexposed = 1.63, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.22, 2.17; P(trend) < 0.001); malathion (RR for Q4 vs. nonexposed = 1.43, 95% CI: 1.08, 1.88; P(trend) = 0.04); and terbufos (RR for Q4 vs. nonexposed = 1.29, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.64; P(trend) = 0.03). The organochlorine insecticide aldrin was also associated with increased risk of aggressive prostate cancer (RR for Q4 vs. nonexposed = 1.49, 95% CI: 1.03, 2.18; P(trend) = 0.02). This analysis has overcome several limitations of previous studies with the inclusion of a large number of cases with relevant exposure and detailed information on use of specific pesticides at 2 points in time. Furthermore, this is the first time specific pesticides are implicated as risk factors for aggressive prostate cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stella Koutros
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, 6120 Executive Boulevard, EPS 8115, MSC 7240, Rockville, MD 20852, USA.
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Barry KH, Koutros S, Lubin JH, Coble JB, Barone-Adesi F, Beane Freeman LE, Sandler DP, Hoppin JA, Ma X, Zheng T, Alavanja MCR. Methyl bromide exposure and cancer risk in the Agricultural Health Study. Cancer Causes Control 2012; 23:807-18. [PMID: 22527160 PMCID: PMC3430844 DOI: 10.1007/s10552-012-9949-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2011] [Accepted: 03/21/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Methyl bromide is a genotoxic soil fumigant with high acute toxicity, but unknown human carcinogenicity. Although many countries have reduced methyl bromide use because of its ozone depleting properties, some uses remain in the United States and other countries, warranting further investigation of human health effects. METHODS We used Poisson regression to calculate rate ratios (RR) and 95 % confidence intervals (CI) for associations between methyl bromide use and all cancers combined, as well as 12 specific sites, among 53,588 Agricultural Health Study pesticide applicators with follow-up from 1993 to 2007. We also evaluated interactions with a family history for four common cancers (prostate, lung, colon, and lymphohematopoietic). We categorized methyl bromide exposure based on lifetime days applied weighted by an intensity score. RESULTS A total of 7,814 applicators (14.6 %) used methyl bromide, predominantly before enrollment. Based on 15 exposed cases, stomach cancer risk increased monotonically with increasing methyl bromide use (RR = 1.42; 95 % CI, 0.51-3.95 and RR = 3.13; 95 % CI, 1.25-7.80 for low and high use compared with no use; p (trend) = 0.02). No other sites displayed a significant monotonic pattern. Although we previously observed an association with prostate cancer (follow-up through 1999), the association did not persist with longer follow-up. We observed a nonsignificant elevated risk of prostate cancer with methyl bromide use among those with a family history of prostate cancer, but the interaction with a family history did not achieve statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS Our results provide little evidence of methyl bromide associations with cancer risk for most sites examined; however, we observed a significant exposure-dependent increase in stomach cancer risk. Small numbers of exposed cases and declining methyl bromide use might have influenced our findings. Further study is needed in more recently exposed populations to expand on these results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn Hughes Barry
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, 6120 Executive Blvd., Bethesda, MD 20892-7240, USA.
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